Opposing ASCSU resolution 3244-16/APEP

Resolution Number: RF16-355
December, 2016
Whereas: 
current area “c” requirements for admission to CSU recommends 4 years of mathematics—including algebra I, geometry, algebra II, or higher mathematics—but requires 3 ; and
Whereas: 
ASCSU resolution 3244-16/APEP [Rev], approved March 3-4, 2016, calls “for the CSU to require a fourth year of mathematics/quantitative reasoning as part of the high school experience of entering first-year students”; and
Whereas: 
ASCSU resolution 3244-16/APEP[Rev] also calls on the CSU to “investigate the impact these requirements may have on the success of all students, particularly those from historically underserved populations,” but does not condition implementation of the resolution on improving equity; and
Whereas: 
ASCSU resolution 3244-16/APEP[Rev] places the burden of the raised CSU eligibility requirement solely on high school students while ignoring the critical roles of their teachers and schools in meeting a-g requirements, and the role of the CSU in preparing a majority of those teachers and administrators in California ; and
Whereas: 
the ASCSU Quantitative Reasoning Task Force (QRTF, established September 4, 2015 ) submitted their Final Report on September 1, 2016, that makes four “interdependent” recommendations that includes raising “the CSU requirement for quantitative reasoning in high school from 3 to 4 years, while allowing that the fourth year might not be an area ‘c’ course”; and
Whereas: 
the QRTF Final Report acknowledges “the importance of analyzing the equity implications of its recommendations,” (p. 7) but it does not do so itself; and
Whereas: 
CSU eligibility among all California high school graduates has demonstrated persistent opportunity gaps between ethnicities, household income levels, and levels of parental education, consistently favoring graduates who are White, Asian, higher income, or with college-educated parents; and
Whereas: 
San Francisco State University “maintains a proud history of commitment to social justice and opposition to oppression and marginalization” and aspires to “redress inequities and increase educational access by reducing educational and opportunity gaps”; Be it therefore
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate of San Francisco State University opposes ASCSU resolution 3244-16/APEP [Rev]; and be it further
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate of San Francisco State University recommends that ASCSU investigates the impacts of the recommendations in the QRTF Final Report on educational and opportunity gaps before proposing increases in CSU eligibility; and be it further
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate of San Francisco State University recommends that ASCSU investigates the roles of teachers, administrators, and their professional preparation and development in the CSU, in preparing students for CSU eligibility and in closing the educational and opportunity gaps; and be it further
Resolved: 
that the Academic Senate of San Francisco State University distribute this resolution to the ASCSU, CSU Chancellor’s Office, CSU Admissions Advisory Committee, CSU Board of Trustees, CSU campus Deans of Education, CSU campus Senate Chairs, CSU Math Council, CSU Provosts/Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Director of the California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) Advisory Committee, California State Student Association (CSSA), Intersegmental Committee of Academic Senates (ICAS), University of California (UC) Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, CSU Deans for colleges that include math (by request to Provosts).